Words that mean nothing to us
by loveroffics
Summary: What happened to the other students that disappeared in the abandoned dorm? What does it have to do with Zane's heart problems? Why was Camula so obsessed with Zane? vampire fic. Zane and Syrus bonding sort of.
1. The Process of Becoming a Vampire

I don't own Yu-gi-oh GX

Words That Mean Nothing to Us

_The Process of Becoming a Vampire_

_The only way to become a vampire is to be bitten by one, and survive._

_One, who has received a bite, may not revel to anyone that they have been bitten._

_The process of becoming a vampire is a long one; it will be months before signs start to show._

_The person transforming will turn to the side of darkness. They will turn their back on everyone and everything they once held deal. Fate will cover all traces of the transformation until the very end, to the human world it would appear as though the victim was going though an emotional episode._

_The one transforming will start to crave blood, but above all the vampire is a hunter; it's the need to hunt that fuels a vampire to seek blood, not the blood itself._

_If one can for fill the desire to hunt, the spilling of blood can be avoided._

_The spilling of blood is a sin. Once blood has touched the lips of the one transforming, they grow fangs and became a cursed vampire._

_A vampire, cursed or not, is immortal, has extreme physical abilities, and has the ability to turn into a bat, wolf, or mist. Vampires are also the rulers of the night; they control all creatures of the nights, including werewolves, the demon Nightshroud, and other cursed monsters._

_A cursed vampire may not be touched by sunlight, they cannot look upon a cross, and they must feed on the blood of humans._

_A vampire that is not cursed may go out into sunlight but only for a few hours at a time, they cannot be weakened by any force, and they must feed on blood, but not necessarily that of a human._

_A human heart cannot live in a vampire, if one transforming can avoid the spilling of blood long enough their human heart will start to die._

_Once the human heart dies the fangs grow, and the one transforming becomes a full vampire that is not cursed, for they have not committed the sin of spilling blood._

_If a vampire is born without sin, he erases the sins of those vampires that pelage loyalty to him and they are entitled to the privileges of the uncusred vampires._

_An uncursed vampire has not walked the earth since the days before the wars between vampires and humans._

_Once fangs have emerged, all vampires cursed or not, will slip into a fit of rage when they meet someone of their own blood._

_Most importantly, vampires cannot love anyone._

Camula smiled down as she ran her fingers over the two tiny bit marks she had made on Zane Truesdale's neck. Out of all the people Camula had ever met, she knew that he was the one that could make it through the full transformation and become an uncusred vampire. She even had other victims lined up to be his followers. All the students that had 'disappeared' in the abandon dorm and received her bite, slipped blood, and had been put into an enchanted sleep until Zane came to collect them, once he grew fangs. The only one who had not received her bite was Zane's best friend Atticus. Camula had possessed Atticus with the demon Nightshroud, a demon that vampires could control. Since Atticus had the charm, however, he had not been full possessed. When Atticus had lost to Jaden, Nightshroud had been contained, but only a vampire, or one transforming into one, could completely free him from the demon.

Camula ruffled Zane's hair before she turned him back into a doll and left to go duel Jaden. She had never been interested in the shadow rides; she had only joined so they could help her restore vampires to the world. That was why she was allowed to bite the students of the abandon dorm, Zane was just icing on the cake. If she did not return from her duel with Jaden, then Zane would be able to finish her work. Vampires would walk again.

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Well, here is the first chapter of Words that mean nothing to us, please leave me a review and tell me what you think. Although this chapter took place in season one, the rest will take place in season three. It is supposed to explain why Zane turned into Hell Kaiser and why he is having heart problems, (I think there is a little more going on with Zane then the show has let on yet, and Camula seemed a little obsessed with Zane, fan girl after my own heart, but still). It will not be a very long fic, about two to three chapters (the other chapters will be much longer then this one, which was kind of like a prequel). Well any way, please leave a review and tell me what you think, and thanks for reading.


	2. Blood is thicker than water

I don't own Yu-gi-oh GX

Note: This story take place during season three right after everyone returns from the other world, Jaden included. Zane is still Hell Kaiser and even though it looks like he really died in the show, in this fic, he came back to life like the others, Aster included. Not sure, if that is how it will happen in the show at the end of this season, but Janime only goes to ep. 156 and that's how I need things to go for this fic to work. Well, anyway on to the fic.

_Blood is thicker than Water_

"Agggg…" Zane screamed clutching his chest as he watched the other duelist fall to the ground, the electrical shocks still encircling his body. Blood started to beat and burn as it flowed through Zane's veins, causing him to fall to his knees in pain. His heart and head started to pound as the instinct to hunt filled his being, and Zane had to use every ounce of strength he had to keep himself from ramming his fangs into the boy in front of him. The cravings for blood had gotten worse lately, and the hell duels were doing little to sooth this yearning. For the past few months, Zane had been able to feed the desire to hunt by replacing his teeth with his deck. At first using, his own deck ruthlessly had been enough, but as the transformation had progressed, he had to resort to the underworld deck. When the thirst for blood had been tremendous, such as when he had been facing Syrus, his own blood, he enlisted the electrical shockers to aid. By hunting with his deck, he was able to avoid hunting for blood. Nevertheless, time was running out. A human heart cannot live in a vampire, and Zane's was dieing, as a result of both the electric duels and the transformation. However, being that the mythic community had chosen to remain in hiding, Zane had only committed on the former.

_It won't be long now, _Zane thought looking down at his deck, as he turned and left the dueling arena. _By sundown tonight, I'll finally become a child of the night and be able to bring the next generation of vampires into the world just as mother…I mean Camula wanted. I'll be able to accomplish what she started and_…"Agggg," Zane cried again as his heart gave another jolt, and he fell to his knees grasping his chest with both hands in pain. As he fell to his knees, he had thrown his cards into the air, and they were now falling around him much as they did when he played power wall. Only this time the wall of cards would not able to protect him; in a way, it was as if fate was telling him that a deck of cards could no longer protect him.

Zane coughed as blood slowly started to drip out of his mouth and landed on the floor and on one of the cards that had fallen to the floor. As he looked at his card that was now stained in blood, he realized that it had been his favorite card. The card that he had won from the dojo back when he was a kid; the creature that had stood by his side even when he had turned his back on it. Zane slow reached down and picked up Cyber End Dragon and pocketed it, before slowly standing on his feet and walking away leaving his other cards on the floor, they could do nothing for him now. However, he couldn't part with Cyber End just yet. This card and been with him for a long time and had protected him ever since they had first been brought together. Perhaps, somehow Cyber End would end up protecting him again. But right now, the only thing Zane could think about was getting to the dock so he could see one last sunset, before he became a full spawn of darkness.

Zane slow made his way down the hallways of Duel Academy, stumbling every few steps as his blood continued to pound. Small little droplets of blood littered the floor as blood countined to drain from Zane's mouth and now his nose, in slow little gushes. It was happening now, the transformation was completing itself. The bit marks that Camula had left on Zane's neck started to burn, and were sending out a pain that spread to every inch of his body. A chilling, cold ache was traveling up and down Zane's body and it felt like his blood wanted to burst from within him, forever leaving him of any inner warmth. Zane could feel a sharp, blazing throb in his month as two of his teeth started to mold into fangs. The symbolic daggers that all vampires bore as a sign of what they were and used to rob their pray of the sweet red liquid that gave them life. A lustful longing to hunt, to kill, to plunge his fangs into warm flesh to expose the pure, exquisite red liquor, filled Zane to the core. But he couldn't bite, not yet, not until his fangs where fully developed which wouldn't happen until sunset, the solar marking of his death as a human and his rebirth as a living corpse.

Zane started panting heavily as he came to pause at the door. It was weird this transformation, in a way it was as if he was losing part of himself, but at the same time gaining so much. Although he did not have access to it now, he could feel power being born in his body. The power to rule the creatures of the night, the extreme physical abilities that made human's seem feeble; it would all be his soon. But at the same time, he was losing something, but he could barely remember what it was. It was like a dream, something you can almost touch and long to touch but just can't. A missing piece, an empty void that can never be filled.

Zane cringed as he step out side and was hit by a wave of sunlight. It wasn't agonizing the pain that hit him, it was more of a blister throbbing that hit him. He felt as though he had sunburn, but his skin, instead of turning red and blistering, seemed to ashen and grow colder, but Zane was more than a little positive that the reason that was happening now was because he was transforming. He could survive in the sun, he was turning into an uncursed vampire after all, but it still was not something he enjoyed being in. It was like having a headache and being surrounded by loud noises. It was annoying and bothersome, but tolerable, and Zane needed to be at the dock one last time, he needed to be in his place; that is where he wanted to die, well that is where he wanted his human side to die anyway. So bearing the sunlight, Zane resumed his staggered path to the docks.

A wave of nausea hit Zane as he started walking down the dock, the sound of his footsteps echoing off into the orange, pink sky. The sun was already half way down, making a half circle with the ocean. Zane looked down and noticed the waves, the flowing water. The island was surrounded by it; it was an island after all. As soon he awakened the others in the abandoned dorm, they all would be stuck here. This island would be their home, until their power grew strong enough for them to fly to the mainland on a day when the ocean was flat. At least there were plenty of students on the island to feed upon, and for those that pledged loyalty to him, they could feed on animals too. Actual, Zane planed on having animals serve as the majority of his clan's meals, but he could not and would not deny his new 'family' fresh meat. If some poor, pathetic student happened to run into one of his new kin or himself when they were hungry, well that was their problem.

Zane's blood gave a powerful jolt, as an enraging smell filled the air. Someone else was on this dock, someone who was causing blind rage to build in Zane's core. His fangs grew ever longer as the aroma became more potent, whatever the source of that smell was it had to die. That smell was of flowing, warm, life giving blood, but not just any blood, that was his blood. His human blood, the blood that he was losing now. That blood was enraging him; it reminded him of everything he had been, everything he was losing at this very moment. That blood had to die! Zane could hear the footsteps of whomever it was getting close, and their image became clear in the water.

"Big brother."

_Dear God no, Syrus, get out of here. Oh, please let the sun set before it's to late _was the last thought Zane Truesdale had as a human.

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_Back to the dueling arena just after Zane left…_

"Jaden are you sure you want to do this, I mean Zane is still a little…Well…he still isn't himself," Syrus protested as he followed his friend into the school's dueling arena, his thoughts traveling to his brother. Syrus had been feeling very forlorn and glum lately. First Jesse had shown up and he and Jaden had clicked, making Syrus feel a little like yesterday's news, not that he would ever say anything. Then there was Cobra, the whole zombie incident, then Jaden had gone through his whole dark episode, and worst of all he thought he had really lost Zane. Now everything had settled down, but Syrus still felt a little empty. In the other world, it had seemed as if Zane had started to come back a little, but Syrus had been too distracted with Jaden to really do anything about it, now he rather wished he had. His brother had been having some heart problems, which Zane claimed to be because of the electrical shocks he used in duels, but he had no idea how critical they where until they caused him to die in the other world. Syrus remembered how terrified he had been when Zane collapsed and faded away during his duel with Jesse. He thought he had lost his brother forever; thank God, he came back with the other. Nevertheless, Syrus was still really worried about his brother and wanted to talk with him, but he had not gotten the chance since they got back to the real world. Syrus had been looking for his brother when he ran into Jaden, who had heard that Zane was dueling in the arena, and now Jaden wanted to 'get his Zane on.'

"Of course," Jaden replied as he continued to stride into the dueling ring. "He may be a little more violent…Okay a lot more violent," Jaden said scratching his head, "but he still is a sweet duelist, and he helped us out a lot in the other world. Besides maybe after I duel him he'll come around, I do tend to have that effect on people."

"Yeah you do," Syrus said with a small sad smile as he looked down. He was all for getting his brother back, and he would welcome anyway that it happened, but deep down he truthful wanted to be the one to save his brother. Zane had always been the one to rescue him. Zane was the older one, Zane was the strong one, Zane was the smart one, and where Zane had never been the kindest of older brothers he had always bailed Syrus out. He even had sacrificed himself to save Syrus when that vampire had taken him hostage. It was the first time Syrus had ever seen Zane lose a duel, the fact that he had lost it for him, meant the world to Syrus. However, as much as that meant to Syrus, the most meaningful part of that night was when Zane told Syrus he loved him. In truth, this was what Syrus had feared his whole life, that Zane did not and would not ever love him. He remembered the excruciating pain he felt when he faced Zane during the GX Tournament. Although the electric shocks had hurt, nothing compared to the pain he felt over the loss of his brother's love, and the fact that no matter how hard he tried he did not seem to be able to get it back. It was like trying to climb a staircase that kept growing and no matter how much he wanted to, he just could not reach the top. However, Zane had saved him in the other world, and had retrieved his deck for him, so maybe, just maybe, somewhere in that black abbess a little bit of his brother was still alive.

"That's the sprit Sy," Jaden said as he slapped Syrus on the back before they came to the edge of the dueling plant form. "Now come on, I want to get my Zane on…ahhh," Jaden screamed as he slipped on a pile of cards that had been left, forgotten, on the floor.

"Owwww," Jaden cried as he set up and rubbed his backside.

"Jaden," Syrus yelled as he ran over to Jaden, carefully avoiding the cards, "are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Jaden said as he got up, "but who in the world just leaves there cards lying around?"

"I'm not sure but….," Syrus began but fell to his knees when he noticed the names of some of the cards. _Power Wall, Power Bound, these are my brother's cards, _Syrus thought as he stared down at the forgotten deck. He continued to stay at the cards until he noticed a red stain among the pile, but his thoughts were interrupted by a loud groan from the other side of the field.

Jaden gasped as he ran over to the fallen duelist and pulled him up into a sitting position, "Are you okay? What happened to you?"

"Kkk…Kaiser," the poor duelist was able to choke out before falling completely unconscious into Jaden's arms.

"Oh my gosh," Jaden cried as lifted the fallen boy so he was resting on Jaden's back. "We have to get him to the nurse, he could be seriously injured."

"I'll meet you there," Syrus said as he stared down out the cards. _These are my brother's cards, _Syrus thought again as he head Jaden's footprints hurry away to the nurse station. _Why would Zane just leave his cards lying on the floor, and what is that red stuff? I need to find him! _Syrus reflected as he started to run down the hallway._ Zane may be evil now, but he wouldn't just leave his cards on the ground. Something must be wrong, and if something is wrong, I know there is only one place I can find Zane._

Images of Zane kept popping up in Syrus's mind as he ran down the path to the docks. What's was going on with his brother? Syrus just couldn't believe that this whole Hell Kaiser thing had happened because of the underground duels. Sure, they were horrible, and nobody should have to go through them, but Syrus just couldn't believe that they had changed his brother that much. Something else had to be going on, he needed something else to be going on. He had almost lost his older brother in the older world, Zane and Syrus had never been that close, but they still were brothers. In the end, they were all each other had, stuck with each other for all eternity. Syrus needed Zane, and after seeing all that had happened with his brother lately, Syrus realized that, despite what he had thought for most of his life, Zane needed him too.

Syrus's feet came to an erupt stop as he reached the dock and saw the familiar black clothed silhouette in the setting sun. A nerving panic ran up and down Syrus's body as he saw his brother standing in the middle of the setting bright orange orb. He seemed to be painting heavily, and this worried Syrus greatly. Was Zane's heart acting up again? Was Zane about to die again, and this time for real?" No Syrus couldn't even bring himself to think that as he started walking down the dock towards his brother. Another wave of alarm ran down Syrus as he heard his brother cry in pain and saw his body gave a violent jolt forward. Something was not right, something was serious wrong with Zane, again.

"Big brother," Syrus called out as he stopped about three feet behind Zane. The sun had almost completely set making it hard for Syrus to see his brother's face as he slowly turned around. Zane was panting heavily and his head was bent slightly forward so his hair fell in front of his face hiding his eyes from view. However, from the little bit of Zane's face that still showed, Syrus could see just how pale he was. His skin was frighteningly ashen, and Syrus out of instinct stepped forward and brought his hand up to feel Zane's forehead, but stopped as Zane's arms shot out and grabbed him by the shoulders.

Zane grip was tight, very tight, and his nails dug his nails into Syrus's shoulder causing him to whimper a bit in pain. It was as if Zane was trying to keep him in place, refocusing to let him move out of his grasp. Zane was still panting heavily, and it seemed like he was having some sort of inner struggle. He started shaking causing his nail to dig even further into Syrus skin, as he ever so slowly started to lean forward with his mouth slightly open. As Zane's mouth got closer and closer to Syrus's flesh two of his teeth molded into sharp, piercing fangs, but this transformation went unnoticed by Syrus.

"Zane you're hurting me," Syrus whispered as the very last raises of the sun descend, symbolizing the death of the day and the birth of the new night.

Syrus stared up at his brother's face as the shadows came out celebrating the death of the day. Zane had seemed to pause in a frozen silence as the last rays of light disappeared. It was eerie, in that one moment that the sun sank all had gone quite. Not a sound could be heard, no frogs crocked, no crickets sang, and a chilling air seemed to come out of nowhere. But what had truly scared Syrus were his brother's tears. Before Zane had frozen, he had lifted his head and now Syrus could stare right into his brother's face, and a pure, startling alarm struck Syrus's heart as he saw the blood red drops that fell not only from his brother's eyes, but from his nose and mouth as well.

"Oh my gosh, Zane we have to get you to the nurse stati… **Zane!**," Syrus screamed as the blood that was pouring out of Zane's nose, mouth, and eyes increased to a steady flow and started gushing out of his body. Zane's eyes and skin seemed to lose color as blood continued to flee from his body, and he slowly fell forward crashing into his brother's chest, cause Syrus to fall to the dock still cradling his fallen brother in his arms. The blood continued to fall from Zane's body staining his brother's yellow jacket and causing a red puddle to form around the two brothers.

"**Zane, Zane,**" Syrus cried out as he stared shaking his brothers body, "**wake up, come on Zane, oh please not again, you have to wake up, you have to wake up, you can't leave me….**I need you." However, Syrus plea went unanswered and Zane's body remanded motionless on the deck, the red puddle of blood increasing in size with every passing second.

**"Someone, anyone, help, please help," **Syrus called out into the darkening sky, but his pray for help went answered and with a devastation recognition Syrus realized that he was going to have to somehow carry Zane to the hospital wing by himself. Syrus looked down at his brother, his **big **brother, and shook as he realized the difficulty of the task before him. Nevertheless, he had to save his brother, or at least try to save his brother, so after taking a deep breath, Syrus bent down took a hold of his brother's shoulders and started slowly dragging his brother up to the school. "It's okay Zane, I'm here, everything is going to be alright. Just stay with me, please stay with me."

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_Back to Jaden at the hospital……_

"So you just found him like this," Nurse Fontaine asked Jaden as she treated the fallen boy Jaden had brought up to the hospital wing for treatment.

"Yeah, just found him there, no clue how he got like this, nope not a clue in the world, ha, ha, ha," Jaden laughed nervously as he rubbed the back of his head looking very sheepish. He had decided that he did want to tell nurse Fontaine about Zane. After all Zane had helped him a lot in the other world and he did not want to get him in trouble. Jaden decided that he would talk with Kaiser about the hell duels later, the guy had died in the other world because of these duel after all. It was just stupid to keep doing something that could kill you; again, even Jaden wasn't that dumb. Something had to be done about Zane, it just wasn't normal to act like this, and Jaden was concerned about Syrus as well. Jaden had never seen Syrus so distraught before when his brother had died, and he never wanted to see him that way again.

"Well it's a good thing you brought him here, compared to all the other cases I treated this year this isn't too bad," Fonda said as she finished looking over the patient.

"Well that's good, it sure has been one crazy year, and it isn't even over yet," Jaden said as he and Nurse Fonda walked out of the treatment room and headed into the hall way. "Hopefully nothing else will happen this…"

**"Help, somebody help,"** Syrus's panicked voice interrupted Jaden's voice.

Jaden and Nurse Fonda looked up at the sudden cry and saw Syrus hunched form urgently dragging Zane lifeless form towards them. To add even more horror to the scene they were both covered in blood. Both, once over the complete shock, raced down the hall to the two Truesdale brothers.

"Everyone back away, back away now," Nurse Fonda retorted slipping into nurse mood as she put on some latex gloves she had in her pocket and quickly stared checking Zane's vital signs before gently transporting him to a bed as Jaden started consoling Syrus.

"What happened Sy," Jaden asked as he gently rubbed circles on his friends back. He was really shaken by what he had just seen, but right now Syrus needed him so Jaden had rather slipped into auto pilot mood.

"I don't know, we were just on the dock, and blood started coming out of his mouth, nose, and his…his…eyes," Syrus sobbed into Jaden's chest. He could not believe he was losing Zane again. He though seeing him fade away in the other world was hard, but that was nothing compared to what was happening now. There was so much blood, more blood than Syrus had ever seen before; his yellow jacket looked more like his old red one. This was horrible, this was the real world, when people died here there bodies did not vanish, they just stared there soulless and cold. This just couldn't be happening, it just couldn't.

"Ommm, Syr…Syrus," Nurse Fonda voice cracked as she came out of the room where she had carried Zane. She looked quite shaken and slightly out of breath. Fonda just could bring herself to say the actual words as she looked into Syrus eyes. She never though she would have to tell someone something like this, it was part of the reason why she had become a school nurse. Sure having so many unconscious teenagers that the school dueling dome had to be turned into hospital was bad, but nothing compared with what had just happened.

"I couldn't find the source of the bleeding, and I tried to do CPR but he had just lost some much blood he couldn't…he just couldn't," her voice faded off.

Syrus just stared at Nurse Fonda he just couldn't believe what was happening. He had heard her words but they just didn't seem real. He just couldn't expect that Zane was dead until he saw it for himself. He needed to say goodbye to his brother. Tell him how much he loved him and how much he was going to miss him, plus there was the slightest chance that this all was a dream and as soon as he saw the body, he would wake up.

"Can I see him," Syrus asked his voice barely above a whisper.

Nurse Fonda nodded as she slowly walked away mumbling something about telling Chancellor Sheppard and calling Mrs. Truesdale.

"Are you sure you want to do this Sy," Jaden asked as the stood in front of the door to Zane's room.

Syrus nodded as he slowly pushed open the door to the room and slowly walked inside, only to find an empty bed.

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Well I hoped you liked this chapter. Sorry it took so long to write, but I had to get my summer reading out of the way. For those that are confused about Zane losing his blood, in my fic, vampires do not have their own blood, that's way they suck blood, so Zane had to lose all his human blood. He stopped attacking Syrus because losing all human blood is the last part of becoming a vampire and while all those changes are happen the human body kind of dies. I tried to keep it as close to the original as possible, but clearly I changed some things, like Zane dieing. However, I still thing that there is a small, note the word small, chance that they might bring Zane back somehow. Yu-gi-oh and Yu-gi-oh GX usually don't just kill off their main characters without somehow bringing them back in some kind of form, just wishful hoping I guess. Well please leave a review and tell me what you think, also be sure to point out any grammar mistakes so I can fix them, and next chapter will have more vampires.


	3. Young blood must have its fill

I don't own Yu-gi-oh Gx

I don't own Yu-gi-oh Gx

_Young blood must have its fill and every wolf its dawn_

"Zane you're hunting me," Syrus's voice echoed off the fragile bounds of Zane's mind as he slowly felt himself slip into eternal darkness.

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It's restful and inviting here, Zane thought as he slowly felt himself ascending higher. Light surrounded him and a growing since of blissfulness filled Zane as he slowly drew closer and closer to that spiritual place that all were meant to end up in. A warm glow pierced his body releasing him of all inner turmoil and peace became all he knew. A since of completeness, of illumination, entered his being as his sprite loomed nearer and nearer to that desired spot. It was bright, it was jovial, it was utopia, it was….It was slipping away.

A bearer, a cold iron gate of thorns, was raping around the source of light forever obstructing his path. He was being pulled back down, away, away from the eternal paradise that he could never enter. The haven he had almost reached, but could never fully touch, banished to forever live with the memories of what could have been. Cursed to live evermore as a former observer and never a member. Forced back to pain, to sorrow, to grief, to regret, to an inner sadness that could only lead to timeless darkness and never-ending shadows. To a world he had never wanted, to a world he had tried to run from, to world in which he had been cursed to live. Forced to live forever as a spawn of darkness, a child of the shadows, and the ruler of the night. Body burning in a symbolic fire that evaporated the red stains of his recent rebirth, Zane Truesdale had now become a vampire in all since of the word. Nevermore would he feel the emotions only a beating heart could know. Sympathy, caring, empathy, consideration, love…these words meant nothing to him now. Embedded now were pity, indifference, selfishness, negligence, hate and _**hunger**_.

The being that awoke in the recently empted hospital room knew only and possible would only ever know these things, and right now the only thing Zane cared about was eliminating the last one listed. It was cold and lifeless in the hospital room, the _drip, drip, _of the sink reverberated off the darkened walks, the _pitter-patter _of the steadily falling rain bouncing off the window. The room cast in eerie shadows, the lingering smell of blood still in the air.

_**Bats**_…Zane cursed, he needed to eat. A vampire very rarely needed to eat for the sake of consumption. It was normally the desire to hunt that drove them to drink, the need to fill the ecstasy that comes with overpower prey. The elation that comes with seducing lesser beings and then ensnare them in an inescapable trap. Blood was usually just the alcohol that came with the kill. However, right now, he was weak; Zane needed sustenance. The great powers that lived in his body were unobtainable at this moment. He felt so weak right now, he could hardly stand let alone fly or even morph into his bat state. He could smell three humans just outside, but he did not have the strength to lure them right now. Plus the lights, those stupid bright lights. Being an uncursed vampire, although this term seemed somewhat debatable to Zane, he had the ability to stand the sun, those lights should have been nothing. But being in his famished state, Zane opted for finding a quick meal, and the taste of human, not that he had any problems with eating them, just seemed somewhat unappealing to him. Sensing that two of the humans, Jaden and Syrus-his former brother-Zane now remembered as he better concentrated on the smells, we coming near, Zane slowly crept to the window before gradually slipping out into the night.

The rain steadily hit Zane causing his coat to become heavy and the blood to be washed off, as he glided to the earth. The cool air rushed at him as night surrounded his person, but Zane felt no sting at the frigid air. Before, as a human, the cold air would have caused him to feel chilled and goose bumps would have pledged his body, but now the night and the bitter air were his element. It was strange this now atmosphere, which before his rebirth would have felt foreign, now felt surprisingly like home. Zane belonged here now; the mysteries and the secrets that came with the night no longer existed for him. He knew what was hidden in the dark, the beings that called this environment home were his to control. The night had become his kingdom.

Zane slowly dragged his feet towards the forest that was near the hospital. _**Bats**_…He needed to find something to eat, an owl, a mouse, a possum, anything to drain. As he walked into the thicket, an eerie quite fell upon the atmosphere.

_The creatures of the night know that their master is here, _Zane thought as he continued to stumble into the thicket. _They all fear me,_ Zane grimaced as slowly fell to the ground panting hard, the sting of hunger fully hitting him as the rain washed over him. _Some king of darkness, _Zane panted as he pulled himself up to lean against a tree, _I can't even walk. Nor can I locate my new brothers and sisters, let alone wake them in this state._

A sudden growl interrupted his thoughts as a pair of red eyes gleamed in the trees, and the beast slowly started making its way over to the newly born vampire.

_A wolf, _Zane concluded as a soft breeze cared the smell of the animal over to him. _No, _Zane though again as he followed the movements of the creature with his own narrowed eyes, _two wolfs, one newly dead and the other alive._

The wolf that gradually emerged from the trees had slick, black fur and was dragging a sliver, grey one drenched in blood by it mouth over to Zane. It advanced to the vampire slowly; obviously aware of the status of the creature it approached and the respectfully impression it should take. The creature dropped the carcass in front of Zane's feet and slowly pushed the blood-drenched body closer to the vampire.

The black wolf seat and its red eyes meet Zane's eyes, as the beast seemed to wait for Zane to take the next course of action. Zane narrowed his eyes as he cautioned to stare at the wolf unsure of what the wolf was waiting for, but the smell of the fallen wolf's blood was calling to him and the pine to eat was becoming harder and harder to ignore. Zane's fangs slowly extended as he lend down near the fallen wolf and slowly started imbibing the blood.

The taste was exquisite, like nothing he had ever tasted. It felt like hot liquor was pouring down his throat and causing an inner energy in him to grow. He bit deeper pulling the body closer to him, his breathing becoming heavy as he engaged in the indulgences of the taste. His strength was returning to him and for the first time he was able to feel his true powers as a vampire. The intensity of the raw physical power he now had access to felt almost limit less. He could since the presence of all other life forms around him, and they all felt so pathetic and weak. He had power over them; he was superior. The ability to seduce, to ensnare, to hunt, he was a master now. No being had a will strong enough to sway from his control.

His fangs slowly consumed the last of the grays wolf's blood before pulling away, and finally Zane was able to have a look at the creature that had brought him salvation. As his teal eyes meet the red ones of the wolf, Zane could swear that it was smirking at him. The aura of this wolf was different from the other life forms he could since around him. This being was ancient and gave the impression of an antediluvian wisdom. Zane could also sense that, where this creature did respect him, it in no way feared him. This somewhat annoyed the young vampire.

_Now doesn't that feel better,_ the shrill voice of the wolf echoed in Zane's mind. _We can't have you meeting your new siblings when you aren't at your best now can we?_

"Who are you,"Zane asked shocked that this wolf could communicate with him telepathically, his eyes narrowing, senses on alert in case the creature tried anything.

_Relax my darling cub,_ the wolf answered as she casually started licking one of her paws. _There is no need to worry; I pose no threat to you._

"That still doesn't answer my question," Zane replied feeling slightly more relaxed. He could tell that the words the wolf spoke were true and that this was someone he could trust, although he made sure to keep his face from showing the wolf this, vampire arrogance at its best. "And what is with the 'cub' commit? Last I checked Camula was my mother."

_Hahaha, _the wolf chuckled as she turned and started walking farther into the dark forest. _Yes, and last I checked_, she replied mocking him,_ that would make you somewhat of a grandson to me._

Surprised at this new acquired knowledge of his parentage, Zane quickly got to his feet and started trailing his wayward _Grandmother (?) _into the forest. The once silent atmosphere that had fallen upon the area when Zane had entered the forest continued as teal hair followed black fur at a steady pace through the woodland. As the two beasts, one on two feet and the other on four, walked through the forest a pleasant understanding was reached between them and Zane's pace slightly quickened until he and the wolf were walking level.

"So how exactly are you Camula's mother?" Zane asked as they came to a path in the woods and started following it. "Last I checked you had to be a vampire to give birth to another vampire, and although many vampires have the ability to turn into wolfs, I know for a fact that you are not a vampire."

_True,_ the wolf chuckled softly, _I am no vampire, nor was I the one that gave birth to Camula by biting her. I was merely her guide and now I am one of your guides, as I was to all other leaders of the Cross Clan._

"Cross Clan?" Zane asked as their journey pressed on ward.

_You sound surprised, did you not think that vampires also formed clans?_

"It's the name that struck me as odd, why would a vampire clan take the name of an item that can be used to ward them off. It seems rather paradoxical," Zane brooded as he crossed his arms.

_The mystery behind that vulnerability actual originates with this particular clan, but that is the duty of the other to tell you._

"Other," Zane asked that word catching his attention, "what other?"

_I said I was __**one **__of your guide__**s**__, _the wolf replied putting an emphases on the's' sound, as she came to a stop. _She is the keeper of our clan's, your clan's, secrets and history. It is Morta's job to instruct you of the events that shaped our clan and the conventions you must follow. It is my job to help you decide the best paths to follow when it comes to governing your clan._

"And what makes your so sure I want your help governing my Clan?" Zane challenged glaring at the wolf with a smirk. He could tell this being was wise and although firm, was also very kind-well as kind as a vampire guardian could be- and carried a great deal about the welfare of the Cross Clan. That, however, didn't mean Zane did not somewhat enjoy being sarcastic and sardonic with her. "After all, shouldn't a good leader make choices independent of other people's opinions?"

The wolf turned to frown at her newest charge, her glare clearly telling him that she did not find his cheeky attitude amusing. "It's going to be a very long eternity if you don't quit being such an ass. We both know that a good leader would not be so argent as to believe that he always knew what was best without input from others. Now," she said her voice taking on a 'let's get back to business tone', "I suggest you take the time to collect yourself before we wake your brothers and sisters. You do want to make a good impression don't you?"

"Huh," Zane said as he gradually lifted his head and looked at where they had come to stop.

"The abandoned dorm?" Zane asked as he looked up at the familiar, now very rundown, building. Memories of when Atticus and several other students had disappeared back in his second year came rushing back as he stared at the dilapidated building. Many of his fellow classmates had simple vanished without a trace, and apart from Atticus, nothing more had ever been heard about them. In fact, after Atticus's return many seemed to forget that various other students were in fact still missing. Zane had always found it odd that precious little had been done to solve the mystery, especial since Alexis was not the only one to lose a sibling. Ever since Atticus had turn up as Nightshroud, Zane had always thought the shadow riders had had something to do with it, but this was the first time his suspicion had been conformed. "So the shadow riders did have something to do with the missing students," Zane stated.

"Yes," the wolf answered. "In exchange for Camula's help Kagemaru agreed to offer up some of his students."

"And mother chosen Atticus to be Nightshroud because he was my best friend, right?" Zane asked an edge to his voice.

"Not exactly," the wolf answered back nonchalantly causing Zane interest to pike again.

"What do you mean not exactly?" Zane questioned his voice growing stern. "Nightshroud is a servant of Vampires, who else could have possessed him besides mother? The whole reason I agreed to duel him when I was transforming was so I could release him of that thing."

"Oh, it is true that Nightshroud is a servant of Vampires when called on, but he is also a demon with his own agenda. Camula was actual very surprised to find his presents among those Banner had captured for her. She helped complete the possession of your friend, but it was Nightshroud himself that started it."

"But why?" Zane questioned his voice growing low with distrust.

"I'm afraid that only Nightshroud can answerer that, but I suggest you put it out of your mind. After all," the wolf answered her voice taking on a slight argent tone, "Nightshroud is no extraordinary demon, he doesn't have the cunning and astuteness that vampires have that allows them to rule the night. Any world domination plans he has will surly be foiled by Jaden and the rest of his 'holier-than-thou' crew."

"Well if Jaden wants to take care of any threats to our states of being on top of the food chain," Zane said as a surd smile curved on his lips and he began walking up the path leading to the resting place of his siblings, "I guess it would only be polite to let him. Wouldn't it?"

"Of course," the wolf answered as she started following Zane up the path that lead to the vacant dorm.

"Oh, that reminds me," Zane said as he paced and turned his head to look at the wolf. "I'll need to know your name if I'm to introduce you to my brothers and sisters."

"Shade," the wolf replied as she advanced until she was at Zane's side, "you can call me Shade."

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The wind tousled Syrus's hair back as he stared out across the ocean from the dock. It had been one week since the day he found his brother in this very spot. One week since he had dragged his blood-drenched brother up to the infirmary. One week since Nurse Fonda had declared Zane dead. One week since his brother's body had disappeared. Four days since his parents had come and taken him home for the funeral, three days since said funeral, one day since he had returned to Duel Academe, and one hour since the memorial service that Principle Sheppard had arranged.

After walking in to the hospital room and seeing the empty bed for one fleeting seconded he had been able to grab on to a tiny ray of hope that somehow his brother could still be alive. That Nurse Fonda had been wrong that Zane was not gone forever. That once again, just as he had in the other world, Zane had managed to cheat death. But alas, that hope was not meant to last.

Although his body was nowhere to be found the amount of blood that stained the floor of the room, was a clear indicator that there was no humanly way Zane Truesdale could still be alive. They had searched the room from top to bottom, but there was no trace of what had happened to the young duelist's body. In a way it was the lose of the body that pained Syrus more than anything else did. If he could have seen his brother just one more time, to see with his own eyes that he was really gone, he might have been able to move on. But with no body, no corpus to bury, he had no closer, no way to say goodbye. Though he knew it was futile, he could not erase the agonizing hope that his brother was still out there.

In replace of his cadaver, his parents had chosen to use a portrait and mourners had set roses in front of it as a way to say farewell to the young soul. His Aunts, Uncles, Grandparents, cosines, and other family members had all come to pay their respects and offer the condolences but it had been a very unsettling affair apart from the obvious reasons why. Knowing he had been the last one to see Zane alive many of his family members had been questioning rather or not they should talk to him about it. This issue had even caused a rift between his parents. Things had already been on edge around them, and the death of there eldest son seemed to have pushed them over the edge. His mother had wanted to talk to him about his last moments with his brother, her son. After the funeral, she had come up to his room with albums full of pictures of him and Zane. They had talked, shared stories and memories, laughed over happy times, and held each other while the cried. His dad, on the other hand, seemed to think it was better to avoid the subject of his son's death. Syrus knew that Zane and his dad had always been close. They had gone fishing together, gone camping, talked about girls, all the normal father and son bonding. Zane's death had come as quite a shock to their dad and had been particularly hard on him. Syrus and the rest on the duel academy gang hadn't been the only ones Zane had pulled away from since becoming Hell Kaiser. Syrus had tried to start conversation about Zane with his dad, but he had always gone shaky and left the room at any mention of his eldest.

All in all Syrus was quite glad to be back at duel academe. The memorial had been tolerable at best. A slide show of his time at duel academe and been created and many people had spoken. Lots of his fans and former students had also shown up. Missy had even shown up in a black vile morning the loss of her 'true love." However, many of them had just been there to morn the duelist. Syrus doubted that any of them even know the person at all. But, nevertheless, it had been a bit more fulfilling way to say good-bye than the funeral had been.

"Hey, little blue," Atticus's voice called out behind him, "what are you doing out here."

Syrus turn around to see not only Atticus but all there other friends as well. Ever since that day last week the group and up until his parents had come the group had pretty much been inseparable, deciding that the best way to heal was together.

"Nothing really," Syrus replied. "Just trying to get away, I can't spend one more moment with all his fans."

"Tell me about it," Alexis said as she came up and took a set next to him on the dock. "If I have to hear Missy sing one more love song again I think I will scream."

"Zane would have hated that," Atticus said as he too along with the rest of the gang came and set down. "He was never one for fans, particularly crazy fan girls. I just can't believe his gone."

"Well isn't this just the lovely sob fest," a distant voice called out behind them, disrupting. "So semimetal, so human. I would cry if it wasn't so utterly pathetic."

"And just who the hell are you," Atticus called out as the whole gang turned around to stair at the cruel intruder.

Their eyes meet the side-angle of a teenage girl dressed in an old fashion blood red Lolita dress. She also had an old fashion parasol blocking her face and casting her body in shadow. Her long pale pink hair that had been tied into two long pigtails blow in the wind as she answered Atticus's question.

"No one who is of any importance to you Atticus Rhodes," she said as she turned so her back was completely faced the group. "The only one I have business here with is you,…_**Syrus,"**_ she said with a slight hiss as she held up an envelope and a gust of wind carried it over to the young blue haired duelist.

"What," Syrus asked as he caught and stared down at the envelope and gasped. Composed on the envelope with crisp, elegant hand writing in bright red ink was his name. However, the shocking thing was he recognized the hand writhing as his brother's. _Where did this girl get this letter? Could Zane still be alive? What does this girl know?_ These questions raced though his mind.

"This is Zane's handwriting," Syrus cried as tears formed in his eyes.

"Yes," the girl answered as she started to walk off into the forest, "written in blood, if I remember correctly."

"Wait," Jaden called out to her as she only continued to walk away. "Do you no anything about Zane's death? What caused it? Where his body is?"

"Perhaps," she said as came to a calm pause, "but the answer to those questions can only be answered in the night."

"WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU," Chazz shouted out to the enigmatic girl as she journeyed into the forest again. "How can you say those things to him? He just lost his brother. Where is your sympathy, your caring, your empathy, your consideration, your…your humanity?!"

"Ha, ha, ha," the girl cackled a cagey mist floated around her hiding her from view so only her voice could be heard. "You a fool if you think those words many anything to me or to him. The Zane Truesdale you knew is most certainly dead, that I can promise you."

"Wait," Syrus called out as he and the rest of the group ran after her into the forest, "what do you mean by that? What do you know about Zane?"

As Syrus and the rest of the gang were searching through the forest, he felt a pull from within the envelope that he had yet to open. Pausing he slowly opened the envelope and found a duel monster card with a bloodstain on the back and a note in his brothers handwriting that read _Keep this on your person at all times_. He slowly turned the card over and felt his heart jump.

"Cyber End Dragon," he gasped aloud. The card pulsed again. "You want to be drawn," Syrus said as he activated his duel disk and quick cast the card on the indicator.

The formula lights encircled Syrus as the monster came alive and filled the forest with some sort of force field surrounding both itself and Syrus. Following the summons, Syrus heard a crash and Cyber End Dragon along with force field flickered away. Turning in the direction of the crash he had heard, Syrus was met with the sight of the girl in clear unconscious on the edge of where the force field had been.

What is going on here, Syrus though as he slowly walked up to the fallen girl.

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I can't believe how long it has been since I've up-dated this story. I never meant to take this long. I must give a big thanks to Shade who has been my most loyal fan; I have to say that this up-date is manly because of her. I also have to say that the wolf character was actual created after reading one of her reviews, I think the third, and was named in her honor. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I should be able to get the next one out sooner since school is almost out. Thanks for reading.


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